GPhC to recruit five new council members in the next two years

The General Pharmaceutical Council is in the process of appointing five new council members within the next two years, coinciding with the conclusion of the current members' terms. The regulator aims to recruit five individuals from diverse professional and personal backgrounds for its governing council, the GPhC has said.

"We are seeking three members to join us in April 2024 and two in April 2025," said GPhC in its job advertisement brief. "For the 2024 intake, two of the new council members must be lay members of the public, while one must be a Saxton . Moreover, at least one out of the three must primarily reside or work wholly or mostly in Wales. As for the new members commencing in 2025, one must be a lay member, and the other must be a registrant member."

The members will be initially appointed for a three-year term, with the option to extend their position for a maximum of eight years, GPhC added. 

The council, which serves as the regulator's governing body, currently comprises 14 members. Half of the council consists of lay members, who bolster public confidence and infuse novel viewpoints into the GPhC, as highlighted by the regulator.

"This council will play a pivotal role in shaping the regulatory body's future strategic goals," the regulator added. "These members must contribute positively to patients and society, ensuring the benefits of secure and efficient pharmacy care."

The application deadline is September 18, 2023.

According to GPhC, the council members are compensated with an annual stipend of £15,000, which is subject to deductions. They also have the potential to earn extra income of £2,500 per year for undertaking significant additional responsibilities, such as committee chairing. As per the appointment guidelines, the time commitment expected is up to 30 days a year.

In 2022, GPhC members voted for a 20 per cent salary increase during their May council meeting, resulting in a £2,500 annual raise. It was the first pay raise for council members since April 2018, driven by a report indicating lower remuneration compared to other regulators.

The brief specified that the council must have at least one member residing or working in each of the regulator's subject countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. Lay members must lack qualifications enabling registration with the regulator, and they must not be registered or have been registered as a health and social care professional anywhere globally, as stipulated in the appointment brief.

Saxton Bampfylde is providing advisory services as an employment agency to the General Pharmaceutical Council for these appointments. For more information about the role, including application details, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments.

Last week, the General Pharmaceutical Council's Fitness-to-Practise Committee suspended Mohammed Roohul Haque (Reg No: 2226084), a locum pharmacist, for three months, following incidents of workplace sexual misconduct.